1. Technical Field
The present disclosure is directed to access flooring modules in which electrical power and signal cables are accessible to a user and, more particularly, to universal floor box assemblies which are flush to the floor and which facilitate installation, access, repair and service thereof.
2. Background of Related Art
In-floor service distribution systems for concrete slab floors are assembled on a deck sheet of floor form and cast into the floor slab. The service distribution system must be concrete tight (i.e., fluid tight) to prevent partial or complete filling of parts of the system by concrete seeping into the distribution system before setting of the slab. Thereafter, the surrounding concrete supports and reinforces the distribution system.
Floor boxes, for in-floor activations, are typically positioned in a concrete floor slab closely below the upper floor surface and are constructed to accept an activation kit. Activation kits conventionally have a frame that is secured to the floor box in a manner that allows adjustment of the frame in the direction generally perpendicular to the floor surface. That adjustment allows the frame to be positioned flush with the floor surface. Concrete floor slabs may be of various depths or thicknesses and floor boxes of various depths are desirable to provide capacity to accept more or larger service conductors or components.
In-floor floor boxes for activation kits are typically constructed to be conventionally connected to conduit and are adapted to accept activation kits. Ideally, floor boxes for in-floor distribution systems must be strong enough to maintain connection to conduit and prevent concrete from seeping into the floor box during pouring and setting of the concrete floor slab. After the concrete has set, the floor box must only support the activation kit.
Once the in-floor floor boxes are cemented into the floor, wiring to and from the floor box and various wiring methodologies are limited. Typically, modules in a conventional in-floor floor box can not be load balanced except by relocating wires at the circuit protection power source.
Accordingly, a need exists for an in-floor floor box or universal box which enables load balancing for power, which enables “front loading” of activation devices (e.g., power devices, data devices, communication devices, etc.) and/or which enables a wide range of wiring methodologies (e.g., undercarpet, manufactured wiring, hard wiring, etc.).